Growing Need in Budapest Jewish Community and Less Funds Than Before: Outs Become Unavoidable

May 19, 1931

Budapest (May. 17)

Although the number of applications for help is growing, the decreasing income and the lack of funds are compelling the Budapest Jewish Community to make heavy cuts in its budget for educational and welfare work, it is reported here. The number of applications has grown from 16,436 in 1928 to 17,572 in 1929 and to 19,475 in 1930. At the same time contributions have been going down. No less than 17,000 of the 26,000 members of the Budapest Chevra Kadisha are in arrears. The number of in-mates in the Home for the Aged maintained by the Chevra Kadisha has grown form 100 to 500, and 1,700 applications had to be refused because there is not enough room. The number of free burials has increased from 40 or 50 per cent. to 80 per cent. The Omike, which looks after the interests of the Jewish students in Hungary, had to out its budget this year by half and has had to out also the aid given to the Jewish students compelled by the numerus clausus to go abroad to study. The summer holiday fund for children is penniless, The Girls Orphanage, which has lost practically the whole of its endowment fund as a result of the devaluation of the currency, has a deficit of 19,000 pengoe this year. The same with the Home for the Aged and the Lying-in-Home maintained by the Jewish Women’s Organisation, which has a deficit of 50,000 pengoe.

Those who can still pay respond generously, it is pointed out, many members of the Community who pay 2,000 pengoe in State taxes taxing themselves voluntarily to as much as 8,000 pengoe a year for the Jewish Community.